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Local Students Are Finding Success in a Punk Rock Bandby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer |
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| Many teens dream about playing
in a band and making it big. Highland School sophomores Nick Hosta and
Pat Beer are well on their way to fame, playing in their punk band, The
Impact. But fame isn't their primary goal. Getting their message out is what matters most. “A lot of punk bands just complain,” said lead singer and guitarist Hosta. “Our songs tell people to do something.” Hosta and bassist Beer have been playing together for about two years, but the current make-up of The Impact is relatively new. Guitarist Anthony Horkan of Notre Dame Academy and drummer Britney Horkan of the Hill School joined the group within the last year. The longer the band is together, the more people it has been able to reach. In mid-February, the band was invited to play in “The Next Big Thing,” a battle of the bands at the 9:30 Club in the District of Columbia. One of approximately 60 bands, The Impact played a 25-minute set to an audience of around 500 people. “The performance was really good,” Hosta said. “It was energetic, that's the important thing. You have to interact with the crowd.” Although it didn't win the overall competition, the band received 10 hours of recording time at an area studio for selling 110 tickets to the event. Playing at the 9:30 Club was exciting for the members, but this was not their first time playing for a full audience. Last May, the band competed in the Loudoun All-Dtar Battle of the Bands, and won $3,500, as well as the opportunity to play with Switchfoot, a Grammy-nominated alternative rock band, at the Belmont Country Club in Sterling. Hosta and Beer both have high hopes for the group, and see music as a big part of their future. Record companies, such as Interscope Records, have approached the band for deals in the past, and the members are looking to sign soon. They also recently recorded an EP, which they hope will be out in the near future. “Goal-wise, we're trying to get a bigger fan base here, and expand from that,” Beer said. “This is what I want to do,” Hosta said. “It's not about riches or fame, but getting music out there and getting exposed.” To learn more about The Impact and to listen to their songs, visit www.myspace.com/theimpactband. |
 Members of The Impact, a group of local student musicians, during a recent practice. The band is making a name for itself in the local music scene. |